Wang Wusheng, Disciples of Buddha and Fairy Maiden Peak, taken at Peak

Lying on the Clouds June 2004, 8 A.M.,

ART OF THE MOUNTAIN

THROUGH THE CHINESE PHOTOGRAPHER’S LENS

Organized by China Institute Gallery

Curated by

Willow Weilan Hai, Jerome Silbergeld and Rong Jiang

A traveling exhibition available starting Fall 2018

ART OF THE MOUNTAIN:

THROUGH THE CHINESE PHOTOGRAPHER’S LENS

Organized by China Institute Gallery Curated by Willow Weilan Hai, Jerome Silbergeld and Rong Jiang

A traveling exhibition available starting Fall 2018

Mountains, in Chinese legends, are the pillars that hold up the sky. Mountains were seen as places that nurture life. Their veneration took the form of rituals, retreat from social society, and aesthetic appreciation through art of their vast beauty-- some of the many ways that nature played and continues to play a defining role in Chinese culture. Indeed, mountains can be seen as a backbone for Chinese cultural and artistic expression, having inspired forms and traditions across place and time. This exhibition will use contemporary photographer to present the geography, history, culture, life, and art that is associated with or derived from mountains. Consisting of three sections: The Lofty Mountains: The Famous Mountains of China ⾼高⼭山仰⽌止, uses work that introduces the geography, history and legends that are associated with famous Chinese mountains; The Pure Sound of Landscape: The Mountains and Chinese Landscape Aesthetic ⼭山⽔水清⾳音, will introduce the renowned Chinese landscape painting aesthetic and how it influenced contemporary photography; and The New Landscape Photography 新⼭山⽔水摄影, will showcase photographers using photography and post-photographic visual effects to express their thoughts on the role of mountains in society today. In all sections, the photographs will be paired with statements in the artists’ own words about their work and what it reveals. This exhibition will include over 80 photographs by more than 20 contemporary photographers, including Wang Wusheng 汪芜⽣生, Hou Heliang 侯贺良, Lei Zhenliang 雷振梁 Zhang Anlu 张安鲁, Lu Hao 卢浩, Yao Lu姚璐, Taca 塔可, Yan Zhangjiang 颜⻓长江 and Xiao Xuan’an 肖萱安. The exhibition is accompanied by a full-color scholarly catalogue featuring essays written by the curators and other scholars.

China Institute and China Institute Gallery China Institute advances a deeper understanding of China through programs in education, culture, business and art in the belief that cross-cultural understanding strengthens our global community. Founded in 1926 by a group of American and Chinese educators, China Institute in America is the oldest bicultural, non-profit organization in America to focus exclusively on China. China Institute Gallery, established in 1966, is distinct among the museums of New York City. It was the first in the United States to showcase Chinese art exclusively and on a regular basis, exhibiting the finest Chinese works of art, including painting, calligraphy, ceramics, bronzes, decorative art, folk art, architecture, photography and textiles from all periods. Today, China Institute Gallery is New York's only non-commercial exhibition space solely dedicated to Chinese art and is known for its innovative thematic and scholarly exhibitions, publications and related art education programs. For further information, please contact: Stella Zhang

100 Washington Street, New York, NY 10016

Gallery Assistant China Institute 212.744.8181 ext.117 galleryassist@chinainstitute.org

*Please note that all information in this document is tentative and subject to change without notice.

ART OF THE MOUNTAIN:

THROUGH THE CHINESE PHOTOGRAPHER’S LENS

Organized by China Institute Gallery Curated by Willow Weilan Hai, Jerome Silbergeld and Rong Jiang

A traveling exhibition available starting Fall 2018

FACT SHEET Number of Works 80

Space Required 2,000–3,000 sq. ft.

Exhibition Period 4-8 weeks, longer durations considered on a case by-case basis

Educational Materials Wall panel texts, object labels, video introduction, press kit and set of digital images for publicity and educational purposes only. Additional images by request. Publications Catalogue of approximately 120 pages with full color plates of all exhibition pieces. Loan Fee $3,500 a month, $6,000 for two months. Includes didactic text, crating, packing, admin costs, and 20 catalogues with additional copies available at discount. Shipping Costs The hosting institution is responsible for round-trip shipping. Insurance Costs Covered by hosting institution. The hosting institution will provide a Certificate of Insurance naming the lender as additional insured (in domestic transit, in storage, and at the premises). Couriers’ Costs No couriers required

Security Moderate

Exhibition Dates China Institute Gallery Jan – August 2018 Available September 2018 – September 2020

* Please note that all of the above information is subject to change.

Section 1:

The Lofty Mountains:

The Famous Mountains of China

This section features contemporary photography that introduces the geography, history

and legends that are associated with famous Chinese mountains

Artist Biography: Hou Heliang studied photography at Renmin University of China, and has over twenty years of experience as a photographer and news reporter. He specializes in documentary and artistic photography, and has photographed more than 200 key figures from China and abroad. He is the winner of many provincial, national and international awards, including the “China Photography Award,” and for his advanced achievement in aerial photography, he was recognized as one the top “Outstanding Aerial Photographers.” Hou has planned and implemented photography events, judged photography competitions, and published photography monographs. His past posts include Chief Editor of the Shandong Pictorial Agency, the Vice Director of the Shandong Council Information Office, and the President and Chief Editor of Openings magazine. He now serves as the graduate advisor for photography students at many universities, including Shandong University, Shandong Normal University and Shandong University of Arts. Hou is also the Vice President of the World Chinese Photography Association, the Vice Chairman of China Association of Pictorials, a board member of the China Photographers Association, a committee member of the Art Committee of China Photographers Association, and the President of the Shandong Photographers Association.

Hou Heliang

Taishan

Artist Statement:

“A small pine tree stands on the top of a peak, the shape of which resembles a Chinese writing brush. For this reason, this peak is named, “flower growing from a writing brush in a dream” (meng bi sheng hua). I have been to the observation deck to enjoy the view of this peak many times before and this unusual peak has become very familiar to me. This time, however, I was absolutely stunned! It had been raining heavily and the rain had just stopped. This peak, with its little pine tree on top, and all the surrounding peaks were suddenly bathed in clouds and mist, which seem to have emerged from nowhere. What a moment of wonder – a real dream of this writing brush and its flower!

This miraculous moment lingered for about ten minutes until all the peaks finally disappeared behind the thick mist. Since then I have continued to visit Yellow Mountain once or twice each year, and I never forgot to visit this same spot. However the same wonderful scene never reappeared in my presence and exists only as history. Luckily, that enchanting moment was captured by my camera lens and thus history can be revisited.”

--Zhang Jiaxuan

Zhang Jiaxuan

A Flower Growing from a Writing Brush in a Dream (����)

Zhang Jiaxuan

Soaring Peaks with Clouds (2015)

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Artist Statement:

“At this moment, I’m at the top of “Beginning to Believe Peak.” After vising this peak, Xu Xiake, a famous traveler during the Ming Dynasty said, “I am beginning to believe that the Yellow Mountains are a wonder of the world.” That was how this peak got its name.

When I took the photograph, the previous day it had been snowing almost the whole day. However that morning it was clear and lots of clouds and mist were swirling around all the peaks as if those peaks were soaring in the air. Now, I can hardly imagine if there’s anyone who wouldn’t agree with Xu Xiake.”

--Zhang Jiaxuan

Artist Biography:

Born in Beijing, Zhang Jiaxuan came to the United States in 1981 to study cinema at New York University. After completing his master’s degree in cinema studies, he went on to teach Chinese language, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese film, Chinese drama and Chinese history at educational and cultural institutions across New York, including China Institute, Hunter College, New School University and Queens College. In addition to his experience as an educator, Zhang is an accomplished photographer, film critic and calligrapher. In 2009 he was recognized in the volume 100 NEW YORK PHOTOGRAPHERS, and will also be included in the upcoming 2015 volume 100 NEW YORK CALLIGRAPHERS.

Lu Hao 卢浩

The Light of God

Zhang Anlu 张安鲁

Mount Gongga

Artist Biography: Zhang Anlu was born in Shandong Province. An experienced photographer, he is a member of China Photographers Association, and is listed in “The Famous Figures of the Contemporary Arts Circles in China” and “Chinese Photographers Dictionary.” Many of his works have been awarded or featured in provincial, national and international photography exhibitions, beginning with his first joint black-and-white photography exhibition in 1986, and the first individual black-and-white photography exhibition in 2003. Since 1997, he has taught photography courses at School of Fine Arts of Nanjing Normal University, particularly black-and-white photography and the traditional gelatin silver printing process. Although digital photography has long eclipsed analog, Zhang continues to use the gelatin silver process to create his black-and white landscape photography, many of which feature western China as well as famous Chinese mountains and rivers.

Section 2:

The Pure Sound of Landscape:

The Mountains and Chinese Landscape Aesthetic

This section uses Wang Wusheng’s photography and statements to introduce the renowned Chinese

landscape painting aesthetic and how it influenced contemporary photography

Artist Biography:

Wang Wusheng was born in the Wuhu City Anhui Province in China. He graduated from the faculty of Physics at Anhui Normal University and worked as a photographer of The Anhui Newspaper and Pictorial in 1973. A year later, he began taking photos of Mt. Huangshan, or the Yellow Mountains. In 1981, he relocated to Tokyo, Japan and two years later, began studying at the Art Institution Nihon University in Tokyo where he was recognized as a fellow of the Japan Foundation of Japanese Art. In 1986, he studied at The Tokyo Arts University; and in 1989, he became a visiting researcher of the Institute for Comparative Studies of culture in Tokyo Women’s Christian University. Shortly after, he relocated to New York for a year and has since been working as a photo-artist based in Shanghai, Tokyo, and New York.

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Wang Wusheng 汪芜⽣生

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Section 3:

The New Landscape Photography

The final section will showcase photographers using photography and post-photographic visual affects

to express their thoughts on the role of mountains in society today

Artist Biography:

Gao Hui creates a series entitled “Among Mountains and Rivers” by using digital photomontage to combine two or more images he has taken, mostly in Western part of China. His landscape photos are panoramic, similar to the human vision. By so doing, the artist invites the viewers to immerse themselves in his works as if they were standing in front of the real scene so as to be transported to be among mountains and rivers. He won “The Best Photography Award” in 2014 Xishuangbanna Photo Festival in China.

Gao Hui

Among Mountains and Rivers

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Yao Lu 姚璐

Ancient Springtime Fey, 2006

Artist Biography:

Yao Lu is an emerging Chinese artist and teacher at the photography department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. His work has been shown in numerous festivals and collective exhibitions around China, including Lianzhou International Photo Festival in 2007, New China Occidentalism – China Contemporary Art in Beijing in 2006, and the Pingyao International Photography Festival in 2004.

Taca 塔可

A Survey of the Landscape in the Poems

Artist Biography:

Taca was born in Qingdao, Shandong Province. He began studying at China Central Academy of Fine Arts in 2003 and at the School of Photography at Rochester Institute of Technology in 2006. In 2008, he transferred to Art Students League of New York and began working with abstract painter, Ronnie Landfield. Now he lives and works in both Beijing and New York.

Lu Yanpeng 卢彦鹏

Void·Qi

Artist Biography:

Lu Yanpeng was born in Fujian Province. He graduated from the Art Institute of Fujian University in 2005 and since then he has participated in numerous exhibitions both in China and internationally. In 2011, Lu received the Best Photographer award at the Pingyao International Photography Festival for his work Open Air, becoming the youngest artist to ever receive this award. He has recently had solo shows at Neri Contemporary Art in Paris, see+ gallery in Beijing, and the Open Air Gallerie du Monde in Hong Kong. Lu presently lives and works in Beijing.